Church: Keng Tung Lahu Baptist Church
(This little church was built by American Missionaries)
"There are 4 months that finish with sound "-BER"! They are September, October, November and December. Others says these months are festival season. Department store are getting busy for the festive season. Busy with Sale, buy one get one free or buy 2 get one free or 50% discount even sometime 70% off!
Christian are also excited by the prospects of receiving Christmas presents at the same time as Department stores prepare for Christmas sales. . If I am correct starting one of the ending sound of the "-BER" months! October? November?
Lets forget about the Christmas presents today and ask what is the true meaning of Christmas? What is Christmas really about.
May I ask you one question? Do you think the big star which is leading the 3 wise men to the Christ's birth place, is it shinning all the way without fading a day? I heard that this historic star disappeared 3 times for the whole journey till they knelt down in front of our Christ. Why? There might be reasons!
The first disappearance: One of the 3 wise men camel got bitten by the very poisoned snake in the sand dessert. 2 wise men needed to ride the same camel which caused the delaying trip because of the weight. So they decided that one wise men should wait and the other 2 will continue. They planned that they would pick him up on the way back to their home countries.
Right at the moment when the 2 wise men starting to continue, they looked at the sky and realized there was no guiding star!! As they are the wise men they realized that this is the God's plan that God wants 3 wise men from 3 different directions to witness the Christ's birth. So they continue with 2 camel and 3 wise men. (Remember that if there is God plans, you can not changed ! It was thy will be done)
The second disappearance: One day light time when the 3 wise men was resting, one of the 3wise men was asking about what the other 2 wise men are bringing for the baby Jesus as presents. The 3 wise men were a kind of got into critic each other's presents. May be "mine is better than yours or mine is more value than yours"..Then on that night when they starting their journey, they can't find the star. The wise men realized that instead of sincerely thought of the present to Christ, they were abit into material worship and God is not interested in that.
(Remember that God sees the heart, not the material goods that you have!)
The third disappearance: The journey was long and tough so they got into disagreement while they were talking about each countries history. The 3 wise men were from Egypt, Syria and Ethiopia! They were boasting about their own lives, own family and own country. They forgot what others lives will be. When the time come to travel again, there was not the big star again. After 3 times of disappearing, because of the critics, disagreement and the angers, the 3 wise men learned what is the real meaning of this guiding star and what the real meaning of Christmas..
The bible said only 4 people held the baby Jesus: Joseph, Mary, Amok and Prophetess Anna. On that night there are some who has the chance to hold the baby Jesus but as selfish, they miss the best chance of their life. i.e. The owner of the guest house. How will he act if he know that this child is a part of God? Will he gives his bed room instead of manger? How deep is his love to Christ?
In this Christmas, have you hold the Christ in your arms yet? If you are only busy with the Christmas dinner, Christmas shopping, Christmas holiday or Christmas presents, you might miss holding the Christ.
What is the true Christmas for you?".........
Above sermon was by Angela Poon, the Head Mistress of English Divinity School in Insein, Rangoon, Burma. I attended the Christmas week service at Keng Tung Church (See the photo). I was so happy to hear this sermon from which I learned something about the real meaning of Christmas.
Thank you , Ms. Angela Poon.
P.S. Angela Poon shared the sermon in Lahu language and I keep it all in my head. Then I tried my best to put into English. As you all know that my English is not that good. If I got my collage degree in US ???
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